TRANSFORMATIVE EARLY LITERACY INITIATIVE AIMS TO BUILD FOUNDATIONAL READING SKILLS IN CHILDREN FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS.
Press Contact: Sydne Lewis, 615-343-9946, sydne.lewis@vanderbilt.edu
The Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center is proud to announce the launch of a comprehensive four-year evaluation of Begin Bright, an early literacy initiative, in partnership with Nashville Public Library (NPL) and the Nashville Public Library Foundation (NPLF). The study, which began enrolling study sites in early June, will assess the program’s impact in improving children’s early literacy skills, providing actionable insights into how Begin Bright influences reading readiness, and identifying best practices for long-term implementation.
Fewer than 1 in 3 fourth-grade students in Tennessee earn a “proficient” reading score, mirroring the national average. Although this statistic highlights a concerning challenge, a local needs assessment by NPL revealed opportunities to boost Nashville’s early literacy landscape, prompting the creation of the Begin Bright Program. Begin Bright aims to enhance language and early literacy development in children during the earliest years of their lives. By increasing access to books and resources at child care programs across Davidson County and providing on-demand digital training for parents and early childhood educators, Begin Bright aims to help participating children be reading-ready by kindergarten.
The Center will conduct a mixed methods study to examine Begin Bright’s implementation, the program’s effectiveness in improving attitudes, knowledge, and skills related to early literacy among parents and educators, and Begin Bright’s effectiveness in improving early literacy skills among children who attend child care in Nashville. As part of the broader study, the Center will also compare one year of growth in emergent literacy skills among children who receive Begin Bright and children who do not.
Kindergarten reading-readiness is a key predictor of whether a child will read at grade level by the third grade, a critical benchmark for future academic success. Begin Bright is designed to provide an evidence-based approach to promoting early literacy skills, and our study is uniquely positioned to provide causal evidence of whether the program works to lay a foundation for success in child literacy development by providing key resources and supports in the classroom and at home.
If demonstrated to be effective, Begin Bright could have a lasting impact on early academic readiness and provide critical resources to parents and educators.
